May be in May.....

                                                                 Waiting........ Waiting.....
                                                                       
                                                                        AND THEN!

This week my beautiful new Rohde electric kiln was delivered!

It is a heavy bundle at 500kg.

The transportation has been a substantial task!

I would advise anyone considering making such a purchase

to sort out the delivery before ordering such a big, heavy, 

precious treasure just so that there are no surprises. 

While the transport was costly it was well looked after and arrived without a blemish.

Several people have also asked me, 

"how difficult will replacement elements, thermocouple etc be to obtain?"

Perhaps Paul Good from Interdec could leave a response

 to that question here for those who are interested?

This kiln has come all the way across the water

from the Rohde factory in Germany

to Interdec in South Australia

where Paul Good 

put it on a truck bound for NSW

and then Wildman Cranes delivered it 

to me at Lilli Pilli Studio, Hazelbrook.

This kiln is better travelled than me!

                                                 

I had to get organised before it arrived 

as once in place this 500 kg beauty 

would not be easily moved so

I have been modifying shelves with wheels 

and making storage for kiln furniture so

that it can be easily accessed when loading the kiln. 

(I love being organised like this when I can manage it.)

These shelves can fit behind the kiln 

and can be moved out when needed.

 It is important to me that everything is flexible in my studio

so that the space can be adjusted 

to suit different making needs and numbers of inspired students.

The crane guys were amazing.

They came and checked out the drive 

and the studio with its special requirements for delivery  

prior to bringing it to Lilli Pilli Studio.

                                            

                                                       (double click video for full screen)

                                                 

The kiln has a pull out draw/floor 

so that the kiln can be packed outside the chamber 

and slides in when fully packed.

This will make loading a much easier process for my old back.

I am hopeful that it will be more efficient in energy usage too.

                                          
                                                      (double click video for full screen)

Now I need to brace myself for another learning curve 

as I explore how this new heart of the studio/ friend /studio assistant works 

before I start teaching again in late July.

                                             

I have named this kiln "Betty" 

because it was given to me by my dear mother-in-law, Betty.

I would never have been able to have such an amazing kiln without her generosity

Now every time I open a new firing I can say 

"Thank you Betty"

I hope this "Betty" will be as strong, beautiful, efficient, 

generous and productive as the Betty who gave her to me.

Thank you to all who got her here safely

 All classes are now fully booked at Lilli Pilli Studio

for Term 3, July 23rd to Sept 1st

         but please email me if you would like  

to go on my waiting list

for Term 4, 2018 or 2019

April is breathing new life into the studio

                                    Life never seem to slow down around here!

                          Harry kiln was taken to his new home at the start of April
                          which ended up being only in the next suburb

I packed him up safe and sound

and with the help of Steve and friends Bree now has a big kiln 

and once a few renovations are done  she should be cooking

I managed to get my little mobile wood kiln, "Rocky",

firing with gas for the first time this month 

and it is very efficient.

 I started with a bisque fire 

but I quickly discovered that
this little guy is just a bit TOO enthusiastic
to comfortably fire a safe bisque!

After watching the first load explode
I ended up repacking and firing to 300˚ with the lid off.

Can you believe it got to 300˚
in about 2 hours with the lid off ???!!!!
(With the lid on it was about 20 minutes.)

Keeping it open was the only way I could slow it down
in order to stop things exploding.

(I won't be trying to bisque in this kiln in the future!)

Once it got to 300˚  I put the lid on
and it was all done a couple of hours later.

I look forward to doing some cone 10 reduction glaze firings in the near future

and also some raku with my students.
It is a fabulous little raku kiln.

This week my beautiful new Rohde electric kiln left Adelaide 

on a truck bound for NSW it is a heavy bundle at 500kg.

The transportation is a substantial task! 

In anticipation of its arrival 

I have been getting organised. 

Once in place this 500 kg beauty 

will not be easily moved so

I have been modifying shelves, attaching wheels 

and making storage for kiln furniture so

that it can be easily accessed when loading the kiln. 

I love being organised like this when I can manage it.

These shelves can fit behind the kiln 

and can be moved out when needed.

 It is important to me that everything is flexible in my studio

so that the space can be adjusted 

to suit different making needs and numbers of inspired students.

Hopefully the new kiln will arrive in early May 

and I will make a special welcome post about it.

AND...

The garden is doing its Autumn Zygo thing

                                After an immensely busy start to the year with family and travel
                                 I have been feeling the lack of time in my sacred creative space.
                                   It is great to now be settled back into studio work full of ideas.

                                            Here is the link to my quiz master husband on
                                                         Million Dollar Hot Seat 
                                                                    aired last week,
                                          filmed when we were in Melbourne in February